Monthly Archives: June 2017

The southbound lane of the Krog Street Tunnel will be closed starting July 1 as crews work to extend the Beltline’s East Side Trail.

The closure will last through July 21 and will take place between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

The extension will bring the trail south from Irwin Street to Kirkwood Avenue.

“As part of this work, new lighting and handrails will be installed within the Krog Tunnel, creating a pedestrian-friendly environment beneath the rail yard,” the announcement says. “Additionally, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. will address safety issues at the intersection of Krog Street and DeKalb Avenue by installing a pedestrian scramble, completely halting traffic and allowing pedestrians to traverse the intersection.”

“That’s when I got really excited when I started to understand what was going on. I was like ‘Hey, I want to buy a house now,'” says Kisean Smith, a new homeowner in the West End who was at that meeting.

Smith says he expects the West End to grow just like the Eastside has been growing for the past five years.

But some residents are worried about gentrification.

“I think there needs to be more attention to the people who are already there instead of about the new developments,” says Leslie Canty, who has lived in the West End for almost a decade.

BeltLine officials say they are tackling that concern by holding workshops to help homeowners stay in the West End. But Canty says, now that the trail is almost complete, there’s nothing he can do to stop new people, with higher incomes, from moving in.

“A lot of things they’re adding to English Avenue, Vine City, and Ashview Heights are really not there for the residents. They’re there for the people coming in,” Canty says.

The BeltLine’s Westside Trail runs 3 miles from Washington Park to Adair Park in southwest Atlanta. It’s expected to open in mid-September.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority has officially named Shelton Goode as executive director of diversity and inclusion. Goode previously served as director of diversity and inclusion at Oshkosh Corporation and holds more than 20 years of experience in the field, according to a MARTA press release.

“Dr. Goode has a proven track record of leading diversity and inclusion programs for major companies while creating robust training and successful outreach programs within global organizations,” MARTA General Manager and CEO Keith Parker said. “We are excited to welcome Dr. Goode to MARTA as we actively work to expand our diversity and inclusion initiatives.”

Goode has a wide range of experience under his belt. According to the release, Goode has worked in various human resources and diversity roles with Georgia Power, Alabama Power and PPL Services Corporation, in addition to being a decorated Air Force veteran. He’s also authored three books and taught as an adjunct professor at Georgia Military College and Troy University.

Goode, who received his bachelor’s degree from Southwest Texas State University, master’s degree from Troy University and doctorate from the University of Alabama, has received national recognition for his work, including the 2012 Trailblazer Award by the National Association of African Americans in Human Recourses and the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Technology Association of Georgia. In 2016, he was named one of the “Top 50 Most Influential African Americans in Wisconsin” by Madison 365.

Goode’s duties will include implementing diversity and inclusion strategies and equal employment opportunity programs, the release said. In order to focus on inclusion, he will also work with MARTA’s key collaborators to “ensure equitable and nondiscriminatory practices are upheld.”

“My hope is that by working with MARTA’s executive leadership team we can raise the diversity and inclusion bar, not only for our organization but for the entire metropolitan business community,” Goode said. “By applying best known actions and programs, we will help create a more inclusive environment for current and potential employees, customers, communities, businesses, and stakeholders to develop an environment that will encourage all of us to bring our greatest talents, perspectives, and experiences to the workplace.”

The Zero Mile Post marked the meeting of two railway lines and possibly the beginning of the city of Atlanta. Zero Mile is a series of sometimes fictionalized and sometimes real stories based on life in Atlanta, Georgia.

By Nicki Salcedo, contributor

When I’m alone, I eat everything bagels. It’s a silly bit of decadence. I love the crunch of onion, salt, and garlic. I enjoy the strange confetti of sesame, caraway, and poppy seeds. But only when I’m alone.

When I’m with my kids, I eat plain bagels.

In my early years as a mother, I would eat the skin off an apple and then give the fruit to my kid. Peeling an apple seemed like a waste. If you peel the skin with a knife you end up throwing the skin away. I got in the habit of eating the outer layer right off apples, plums, and even grapes.

I wondered if my existence was to eat only the skin of the apple while passing the fruit along to my offspring. I wondered how many more times I would stare at a plate of strawberries, bitten at the bottom with the fruit of the top and the stem intact. How many times I would eat a plain bagel, when I wanted everything?

This is motherhood. It is some regrets. Some hunger.

I’ve tried to figure out why some of us want to have kids, why some of us decide to have kids, what happens to those of us who can’t, and those of us who do and despise it.

Parenthood isn’t a riddle easily solved. I thought about parenthood as Roxane Gay spoke at Agnes Scott College thanks to Charis Books.

Gay’s book “Hunger” is a “memoir” of her body and society’s perception of our bodies. It is also a memoir violence and an assault that occurred when she was 12 years old. Someone’s child.

As Gay talked about her life, I had a strange feeling that I had made a mistake. That I shouldn’t have become a mother. It is difficult to explain, but other people might understand.

She was gang raped at age 12. It was not her fault. Or her mother’s fault. Or her father’s fault. It was fault of an evil group of young men with the intent to hurt and show power and dehumanize another person. Another girl could have been the victim. Another boy could have been the victim. It could have been me.

I sat in the audience thinking of kids at age 12. Those kids could be my babies. Even though my rational mind knows her assault had nothing to do with me, I feel blame. I think I could have prevented it. I don’t see a 42-year-old woman on the stage. Same age as me. I see a child age 12 and think of all the wrong the world can do.

I think quite rationally that maybe none of us should have children. I remember hearing something similar a few years ago.

“The world is a terrible place. No reason to bring children into it.” I thought it a cruel statement. Now, I’m not so sure.

Women who avoid motherhood are deemed selfish. Parents, particularly women, who express disdain or disappointment with parenthood are vilified. We are supposed care and love children. Selfless at each moment. Exhausted with worry. Sleepless with so much more to do. There are hands on our bodies, bodies in our spaces. Toiling the fields. The words we use to describe parenthood remind me of physical labor and being hungry.

There is nothing rational about it.

When a child is born, a parent is born. The unpredictable chemicals go off in our brains. I can see how the brain might reject parenthood. It is a good defense mechanism.

The decision to become a parent, once made, can’t be undone. A parent must be happy from day one, every day of the week, every day of the year. It’s a trap. And a lie. It doesn’t work the same for everyone. There is no switch to make the regret go away, but maybe there should be rules for regret.

Seek professional support. Find a safe space where you can express how you feel without someone judging you.

Your feelings are valid. It is okay to say your regrets.

There is no such thing as perfection.

Instead of saying “I made a mistake” say “I made the best decision at the time.”

You don’t have to live up to anyone’s expectations except your own.

Find what you do like and focus on those things.

I have a friend who feels lost because she cannot have children. I have another friend who despises motherhood. She hates it. It isn’t the despair that concerns me, but the fact that this kind of despair is frowned upon.

I remember the day I thought I was the apple. My skin had been gnawed off by my offspring and work and life and exhaustion. There were hands on my breasts, on my body, and in my mind. I couldn’t find peace. I was tired of the lemons and didn’t want to make lemonade.

I make a conscious effort to live without regrets. I am fortunate. I actively create happiness each morning. It isn’t an easy thing. I conjure it with a prayer and magic. I conjure it in habit. It is difficult to create. Some of us can’t overcome the chemicals in our brains. Some of us can’t overcome our disappointments, worry and regrets. Some regret goes deep. Some hunger cannot be fed with food.

I remember the day stopped worrying about the apple skin. I can’t control the universe of regret and evil and despair. My desire for control is no better than a gang of boys who want to hurt the world.

I know why I eat everything bagels when I’m alone.

The seeds and spices cling to my teeth and tongue. It is messy. It is ugly. I can be imperfect when I’m alone. I can love the bitter and strange and salty when I’m alone. That’s wrong. I’ve been wrong. You only eat the skin off the apple for a short period of time. I haven’t done it in ages.

Nicki Salcedo knows the loops and the back roads of Atlanta. She is a novelist, blogger and working mom. Zero Mile stories appear on the Atlanta Loop on Wednesdays.

Emory University has filed a petition to annex its campus into the city of Atlanta.

The possibility was first raised nearly a year ago. In a news release, the University said it filed its petition on June 27. The annexation area would include Emory’s healthcare facilities on the Druid Hills campus. The university would remain in DeKalb County, but would be under the city of Atlanta’s jurisdiction.

“We are enriched by our relationships with the county and the city as well as the larger region and the state and look forward to building upon our commitment to community involvement, academic excellence, innovation and entrepreneurship,” Emory President Claire Sterk said in a press release.

“Mayor Reed welcomes all communities who choose to join the City of Atlanta,” the spokesperson said. “The annexation of Emory University, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presents the rare opportunity to bring a world-class teaching and research institution, and two of the leading national public health institutions of the United States, along with thriving commercial businesses into the city of Atlanta. We have a strong working relationship with DeKalb County to jointly serve the thousands of residents currently located within DeKalb. We look forward to working through this annexation process with the petitioners and the County.”

In a statement, the CDC said, “CDC filed the petition after careful consideration. Annexation by the City of Atlanta allows CDC to continue working with DeKalb County’s critical response capability while linking to Atlanta’s infrastructure and municipal services.”

The university said it expects annexation to go into effect in the fall.

County Commissioner Nancy Jester said the petition should be a “wake up call” for county leaders. She compared the annexation petition to the push by unincorporated communities in DeKalb County to create new cities.

“You know much like the cityhood movement, had DeKalb County paid more attention to its constituent parts, Emory being one of them – it’s a large institution, very well respected – if we had paid more attention and had been more engaged with them, these types of issues could’ve been avoided,” she said.

“Atlanta is less likely withhold rezoning,” Rader said. “A good example of that is the University Inn, which is on North Decatur Road and has been the subject of several proposals to put students there. If they were to see Emory annexed, why would they not try to annex to get the maximum density on the site?”

He also said Emory could propose new projects or new rezoning without the county’s “mediating influence,” and that could negatively affect surrounding neighborhoods.

“What we would like Atlanta to do is enter into intergovernmental agreements with DeKalb and agree they won’t do the follow-on annexation and consult with DeKalb when it came to substantial new zoning,” Rader said.

From Emory University:

Emory University filed a petition on Tuesday, June 27, to annex into the City of Atlanta. The university, including its health care facilities on the Druid Hills campus, will remain in DeKalb County, and upon approval of the petition, will also be part of the City of Atlanta.

Emory has built affiliations and community engagements that span DeKalb County and the City of Atlanta. For example, Emory’s operations include several hospitals and clinics in DeKalb County and one in the City of Atlanta––Emory University Hospital Midtown. In addition to Emory’s longstanding civic and community engagement in DeKalb County, the university’s strong partnerships with Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, the Morehouse School of Medicine and Grady Memorial Hospital, as well as its investment in arts, culture and scholarship in Atlanta, continue to grow.

According to Emory President Claire E. Sterk, annexation into Atlanta will complement the university’s commitment to local, and thereby global, engagement, while continuing to contribute to both jurisdictions.

“We are enriched by our relationships with the county and the city as well as the larger region and the state and look forward to building upon our commitment to community involvement, academic excellence, innovation and entrepreneurship,” says Sterk.

Next steps in the process include the city’s regular public meeting process for annexations. It is expected that the annexation will be effective in the fall of this year.

Construction along the Westside Trail of the Beltline in May 2016. Photo by Dena Mellick

By Gabriel Owens, contributor

The Atlanta Beltline Inc. held a briefing and Q and A meeting Monday night about the construction progress of the Westside Trail, and officials expect the grand opening to happen in September.

The Westside Trail is expected to be a 3-mile multi-use trail, consisting of 14-foot wide pathways with 14 access points with over 40 acres of greenway. It will connect University Avenue to Washington Park in southwest Atlanta.

Project Manager Kevin Burke led a brief presentation followed by a lengthy question and answer session to the local West End community, addressing security concerns, the finishing touches on construction, and weather concerns from the last few weeks of heavy rainfall.

“Seven inches of rain in a month can create difficulties,” Burke said.

One of their storm water ponds that was under construction just for the purpose of keeping the trails from flooding was overloaded, he said. The event gave the project a new challenge and provided valuable lessons learned going forward.

Beyond weather, one of the bigger concerns addressed by the crowd related to safety.

Along with trail lighting, there will be cameras every 90 feet, with a few others covering “blind spots” that have been identified. While the trail will follow Park Service hours (although Burke said they do not fall under their umbrella) of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Burke admitted that some residents “will probably ignore them” so they will maintain light and camera security 24 hours a day.

Burke also stated the railings around Kroger City Center up the “Kroger ramp”, along with the Lee Street ramp and other areas, will be stainless steel and in compliance with the American Disabilities Act.

Some other highlights from Monday’s meeting:

For safety on the Westside “corridor” there will be restrictions on access to it from private property gates.

Trash concerns in the areas around the trail were addressed. More community involvement will be needed to maintain the area.

Burke said ABI is still awaiting environmental approval for future public transit plans.

The classroom buzzed with the noise of 3rd graders. The voices became one sound. The sound of explosive laughter and strange soliloquies and the complaints of being a kid. So many complaints.

He looked at my paper.

She touched my chair.

The good teacher knew the voices spoke of unspoken things.

I didn’t get enough sleep last night.

I need to be outside in the fresh air.

The teacher pointed to the Tattle Tale Book. “If you need to tattle, put it in the book. Write it down. I’ll write a response to you.” There were some good lessons there.

Decide what matters.

Document the problem.

Tell your teacher.

She will listen.

Somehow over the years things change. No one listens anymore.

The boy who grabbed my breast in 8th grade was a smart kid, a nice kid, who never caused trouble. Thirty years later, I still make excuses for his bad behavior and cannot explain my silence. Thirty years later, I wrote down the details of his violation for the first time.

It was, even by own recollection, a minor thing. I never told my teachers. I didn’t want to cause him any trouble. No big deal, right?

It was, even by my own recollection, a pivotal moment. I let him know never look at me again and never speak to me again. He tried to repair our friendship after the incident. He did this for four more years until our senior year. It didn’t work. The damage was done.

Good thing he wasn’t my teacher or my boss or my doctor. Good thing I was able to stand up for myself.

Since I left the 8th grade, I’ve had many opportunities for people to tell me my feelings aren’t valid.

When I was overwhelmed in college I heard about the “Freshman Fifteen,” the weight you gain when you are depressed. They told me about “Sophomore Slump,” the feeling you have when you’ve failed organic chemistry for the second time.

I was told these things were normal.

When someone bullied me at work, I stayed silent. Because bullying was okay, but speaking up was wrong.

When my father died, I grieved. But I was told time would fix grief. I was told there is a deadline on sadness. I know now that time will fix grief the same way it fixes a broken egg. Eventually you will get used to being a new person, a shattered broken mess. But you will never be fixed.

When I was in third grade there was a book to write down how I was feeling, but as I grew up they took the book away. I should have thought of this before I became a mom.

I read everything I could on parenting. The different parenting methods sounded a lot like a class of 3rd graders. Laughter, long soliloquys, complaints. I read one thing that struck me as valid. It was one of the few pieces of parenting advice I took to heart. It went something like this.

When you greet your child at the end of the day, don’t be distracted. Get down on eye level with your kid and say hello. Look them in the eye and tell them you are happy to see them. Apparently babies and pets take direct eye contact and focused attention as a sign that they are loved and valued. It doesn’t matter if you hug or say I love you. All you have to do is look and focus your attention on them.

When your child gets hurt, you look them in the eye and tell them, “I know that hurts.” You can give a hug or kiss their boo boos but that doesn’t matter as much. What matters, even in the smallest child, is the validation of their feelings. I decided to try it.

My medicine cabinet has so many boxes of Band-Aids. Some are a decade old. Better than an adhesive bandage is my attention and the acknowledgement of their pain. It’s like the tattle tale book. There are ways we can help our kids.

It is important that they know they can trust us. All of us.

The method of listening works on an 8-year-old, a 19-year-old, or a 42-year-old. Now the trick is getting my kids to talk when the issues are more dramatic than a boo boo.

Everything is not worth complaining about. Unfair treatment happens. Some people are jerks and bullies. Other people are perpetrators and manipulators. How can we teach our kids the difference when we don’t always know the difference ourselves?

I watch kids. I know a lot of kids. I look them in the eye. When they don’t look back at me, when they are distracted, maybe it isn’t important to them. Maybe it isn’t the truth. That’s rare.

Other times their eyes are steady and sad and sure. I don’t break the stare. I take a breath and ask what happened. I focus my eyes on them and listen. And listen. And listen to the tales they tell.

There will be a public meeting on June 22 to discuss a plan to turn Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard into a “complete street.”

It begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at KIPP Strive Academy, 1444 Lucille Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30310. The location can be reached via MARTA Bus #67.

According to the announcement, “Atlanta BeltLine Inc. will hold a Southwest Study Group public meeting to present and seek feedback on a visioning plan for Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard streetscapes, between Cascade Avenue and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, developed from the input we received at our April 17 public meeting. As we shift the focus from visioning to concept development, we will also seek input regarding which aspects of the visioning plan should be prioritized for implementation.”

ABI is managing the project on behalf of the city’s Renew Atlanta infrastructure bond program.

“The project will design and construct street modifications from Cascade Avenue to Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive,” the press release says. “The project’s intention is to improve the safety of the corridor for all users, by providing non-vehicular connections between the neighborhoods, the activity center at Cascade Avenue, the West Lake MARTA station, and the Atlanta BeltLine’s Westside Trail.”